Pakistani journalist Arif Aajakia has publicly defended the Bollywood film ‘Dhurandhar’, saying its portrayal of Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood reflects what he personally witnessed while living there. His comments came during Talk Journalism 2026, where he spoke in conversation with journalist Saurabh Dwivedi. A video of the exchange was shared by ANI.
Aajakia stated, “I was born and raised in Lyari. So everything depicted in the film is true.”
He also mentioned that he served as mayor of Jamshed Town.
Aajakia further revealed that his parents were from Junagadh, Gujarat in India. He said, “I was born in Karachi. But I consider myself of Indian origin. Not Pakistani.”
About the film
‘Dhurandhar’ is spy thriller set against the backdrop of 1999 Kandahar hijacking, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, and Lyari gang wars. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sara Arjun, and Sanjay Dutt.
Ranveer Singh plays Hamza, an Indian spy operating inside Lyari to dismantle extremist networks. The film was theatrically released on 5 December 2025 and received mixed-to-positive reviews.
Critics praised the ensemble cast, particularly Singh and Khanna, along with director Aditya Dhar’s work, the cinematography, action sequences, soundtrack, and production values. The runtime pacing received some criticism. The film was also criticised for mixing fact and fiction, with some critics calling it propaganda.
Film director Aditya Dhar directed both ‘Dhurandhar’ and its sequel ‘Dhurandhar 2’. ‘Dhurandhar 2’ broke several box office records.
Debate over the Lyari portrayal
The portrayal of Lyari has triggered the strongest backlash. Some Pakistani voices, including members linked to former ISI chief Hamid Gul’s family, called the film a “fabricated psychological project.” On the other side, supporters have argued the film highlights underreported realities about cross-border crime and terrorism.
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Aajakia also criticised Western media coverage, alleging selective reporting on South Asian issues and inconsistent focus on human rights concerns across regions. He argued that while certain issues in Pakistan receive limited attention, incidents in India are often amplified in international reporting.
Pakistan’s reaction and piracy
Despite its release being withheld in Pakistan and Gulf countries, ‘Dhurandhar’ continued to do well at the Indian box office, collecting over Rs 10 billion.
In just two weeks, the film reportedly crossed two million illegal downloads in Pakistan, making it the most pirated movie in the country, surpassing Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees.
Torrents, Telegram channels, VPN networks, underground streaming links of ‘Dhurandhar’ flooded the internet with servers bypassing restrictions allowing Pakistani viewers to access the film.
Background: Lyari’s history
Lyari is one of Karachi’s oldest and most densely populated neighbourhoods in Sindh province. From late 1990s through early 2010s, it became synonymous with brutal gang warfare. Armed groups effectively ruled parts of this area like parallel governments often with political patronage.